Little Sister
by Accidentally The Whole Fanfic
Summary: He was a good big brother. He was a good big brother, but she would never, ever let go of him. He couldn't keep doing this. He couldn't. Written for the All Hallows' Harvest Prompt at The Village Square.


**Author's Notes:** So, I was iffy about this at first, but I decided to go for it. I don't write much straight-out horror these days, but I got the itch, and... well, this idea just flashed into mind very recently. This is for the **All Hallows' Harvest Prompt** going on at The Village Square - running until Halloween! Check it out, if you're interested - the goal is to dredge up a few scares for the series. Or go all-out batfuck insane, like I'm about to. Also, I'm using Cam's _Story of Seasons_ name for this, mainly out of personal preference.

Just a heads-up, this story contains some _seriously_ fucked-up themes and imagery, even by _my_ standards. Which I guess is inevitable, considering the characters - they lend themselves all too well to this sort of thing, I think. I don't do that "trigger warning" shit, and usually let the genre and rating speak for themselves, but yeah - don't say you weren't warned. Feel free to leave a review, if you like, and thanks for reading.

Little Sister

* * *

Looking up from the book she'd been reading, Cheryl Kaufmann's dull green eyes widened and sparked happily as she caught sight of her big brother, Ash, approaching her with a small smile and a little wave. "Ash!" she cried, springing up from her chair and letting the book thump dully to the floor as she enveloped him in a hug - which was returned after a moment's pause. She grinned at his familiar scent - a little musty, but earthy. Homey. She'd missed it so much. "Oh, it feels like it's been ages since I've seen you!"

Chuckling awkwardly, Ash patted her back and took a step backwards to put some distance between them, observing her. She'd grown taller since his last visit, and her honey-colored hair - as long as ever - fell down her back in a thick braid. "Ahhh... c'mon... you know I try to visit as often as I can, Cheryl!"

"I know, I know," she mumbled, folding her arms and sighing as they took their seats. Her hands slid down to clasp between her knees, and she leaned forward a bit, mimicking Ash's posture. "I'm trying... so," she went on after letting out another little sigh, "how've you been? Anything new happening in town?"

It was a casual enough thing to ask - perfectly ordinary - but Ash couldn't decide if it was just his imagination, or if there was really an underlying edge to Cheryl's voice. Maybe he'd grown so used to it that he was looking for it, but he still felt something tighten right below his chest as he worked out his response - despite all the progress she'd made, talking to Cheryl about his life seemed more like a minefield now than it ever had in the past.

"Not much," he finally started, trying to match her light tone. "Got a few new animals to look after - they're doing alright. We're also opening up trade with Oak Tree, so everyone's pretty excited about that. And..." He paused, trying to think of a topic that would still be safe. What even _was,_ anymore? Ah! "And the town hall back home just converted one of its spare rooms into a library! Maybe I could bring you a few new books next time I stop by? I bet they have some good ones." He nodded to the book on the floor, drawing her gaze and a little smile.

"Oh, I'd love that a lot! Thank you, Ash! Sooooo..." She leaned forward a bit more, eyes sparkling with interest. "Anything else? How's everyone doing?"

If she caught his split-second flinch, she didn't say anything about it. Scratching at the back of his neck, he shrugged. "Yeah, everyone's doing okay. Georgia finally had her kids - twins," he clarified, off of Cheryl's curious look. Curious, but harmless. "Two little boys. Two little mini-Kanas running around, Gaia help us all."

Cheryl giggled at that, shaking her head wistfully. "The twin terrors of the two towns! Hmmm... that's nice, though. At least things will get more lively there, huh?"

A shudder rippled through Ash's body at this remark, but he nodded almost dutifully, smiling back at her. "Yeah, it's picked up a bit. New folks moving in... Hiro left to go continue his education, so from what I hear, Ayame's been a little overwhelmed running things on her own, and-"

He stopped short, cursing himself internally as a brief flash sparked in Cheryl's eyes.

"...Yes, Ash?" she prodded coolly, her voice taking on a faintly harder edge now. "What was it about poor Doctor Ayame again?"

"...Just... busy and all," Ash finally mumbled, feeling his throat go dry. He cleared it, shaking his head. "W-well, anyway, yeah," he went on, trying to avoid Cheryl's piercing stare, "the tea house in Konohana opened back up again, too, the... uhhh... proprietor's some guy from the city..."

"That's nice," Cheryl said softly, eyes narrowing again at the mention of the tea house. Ash felt his skin prickle. "...Well... tell them all I said hi when you get back, won't you?"

"Of - of course," Ash stammered. He wiped his sweaty palms off on his shorts, hoping they'd move off of the subject of the townsfolk - fast. The mention of the townsfolk, his slip-up of mentioning the tea shop, already took him back to when he and Kamil had found Ying in hysterics on the mountainside, and-

 _Stop it. Stop it. It wasn't your fault._

But Cheryl clearly didn't share his sentiments. Straightening up in her chair, she inclined her head to meet his gaze full-on, and there was a mix of emotions in her eyes that Ash couldn't quite pick apart. He didn't really want to. "...Well, then... how's Mom been doing?"

 _Shit._ He'd been hoping to avoid mentioning their mother. Cheryl never asked, but he suspected that she always wanted to. Maybe she kept it at bay in hopes of keeping her emotions in check. Or her guilt. He didn't know anymore. He chewed at his lower lip and ran his fingers through his hair, the sensation bringing back memories that both warmed and hurt him. "...She's doing okay," he answered after a moment, not wanting to meet her eyes anymore. "The farm, ummm... down the street from us got taken over, so... she's been pretty busy helping them get started, and-"

"-So that's why she didn't visit this time?" Cheryl cut in. Her tone was casual, but her green eyes had gone cold and steely. "Or the last time, or the time before that... or ever?"

Ash grimaced and let out a defeated sigh. They were doing this. "Cheryl-"

" _Ash!"_ she snapped back, cutting him off. "Is. That. _Why?"_

" _No,_ Cheryl, okay?!" Ash finally retorted, throwing his hands up in disbelief. His irritation, his incredulity, was starting to override his fear and anxiety now. "What the hell do you expect, Cheryl?! After what you-"

"After what _I_ did, is that it?" Cheryl interrupted again, her voice rising, the words like a punch to Ash's gut. "What about what _she_ did, what _everyone_ did, what _you_ did?! Oh, Cheryl's sick! Oh, Cheryl needs help!"

"BECAUSE YOU _WER_ _E_ SICK! YOU _DID_ NEED HELP!" Tugging at his hair in aggravation, Ash slumped back in his chair and groaned. "Don't you understand _anything?!"_ And there the scenes were again, flashing through his mind and threatening to make him sick, make him just want to get up and leave Cheryl behind forever, never visit her again.

He saw poor, sweet little Ying, screaming apologies and crying uncontrollably, with all of her hair sloppily chopped off and horrible slurs written in permanent marker on her face - _Bitch_ _, Slut, Cunt_. She absolutely refused to let Ash near her, leaving it up to Kamil to get her back to Konohana. Both towns had been shaken terribly by the attack, but nobody had any clue whatsoever as to who could have done something so disgusting - while her aversion to Ash would have initially sparked suspicion in some people, the townsfolk all knew he'd never hurt anyone, and certainly not like that. Not to mention the fact that he'd been at town hall almost all day. Ying herself had refused to speak after the attack, going completely mute. Yun had closed up the tea house and reunited with Ying's parents to move somewhere far away not long afterward.

It had only been later, after a few more violent incidents, when the pieces had come together with horrible clarity in Ash's mind. All because he'd given Ying a flower for her birthday.

He saw Cheryl's eyes flashing with rage from the shadows as he and Phillip broke apart from their kiss behind the latter man's barn, blushing and grinning. Their grins faded when they heard rustling and sobbing, and the sound of someone running away. The next morning, Phillip had entered his coop, only to find both of his chickens and his newborn chick mutilated, smashed to pieces, with a blood-crusted rock laying nearby. More hateful words scratched deeply into the walls - _Faggot, Whore, You're Next._ The crude messages were carved low to the ground, as if someone small had made them.

He'd confronted Ash about everything, and his distraught face had twisted with disgust when Ash's eyes went wide with horror and he started shaking his head rapidly, babbling to Phillip that it just couldn't be. Not his little sister. Not his jealous but ultimately sweet-natured little sister. Even as Phillip packed up and left, Ash tearfully begged him to listen to reason, to just consider for a moment that maybe it was someone else, some coward trying to pin their crimes on an innocent kid, and Phillip just _couldn't_ tell anyone, it wouldn't be fair.

And then he'd rushed out into the kitchen one day after hearing his mother's anguished screams, breath caught in his throat as he saw her lying on the floor, clutching her face and sobbing. Her face appeared to be burning and coated with grease.

Cheryl stood there with the dripping, cast-iron skillet in her hand, motionless and cold, as Ash looked back-and-forth between the two and found himself unable to speak. He dropped to his mother's side, prying her hand away with some difficulty and nearly vomiting when he saw how severely burned her face was. Breathless with shock, he simply turned his gaze Cheryl's way, the question swirling in his terrified eyes while his mother moaned and cried pitifully in his arms.

"I told her _I_ was going to make you breakfast," she stated simply, as though she were just telling him the time of day. Her pupils seemed impossibly dilated in the brightly-lit room. "I told her I didn't need her help. That it had to be all me. Just for you. She didn't listen. She tried to keep me from doing something nice for you. And now she knows better. Don't you, Jessica?" she finished with a calm smile that sent ice spearing through Ash's heart.

"Ch-Cheryl," Jessica croaked, her voice raw, tears and grease mingling on her blistered cheeks. "We... we talked about this, baby, we - we told you this isn't right-"

"SHUT UP!" Cheryl screamed, flinging the heavy skillet at them with a surprising amount of strength for her size. Ash instinctively turned away to shield his mother from the blow, crying out as the skillet struck his back and clanged to the floor. "You just want him all to yourself, you sick _whore!_ All of you do! You just want to use him and corrupt him and keep him from me, and I'm the ONLY ONE he deserves!" Her own voice was going hoarse as Jessica collapsed into tears again, and Ash's throat was knotted up, watching Cheryl break down into a rage before them.

Once Ash had restrained her and screamed for someone to help - suffering a few bites and scratches in the process - Ayame had recommended Cheryl be moved into psychiatric care as quickly as possible, to get the help she needed. Or, if nothing else, to keep everyone safe.

And now, here they were, face-to-face again. Too many years had passed, and Ash had visited as often as he could to check up on her progress - like a good brother should. He sometimes wondered if his presence hurt her more than it helped, if it just fueled her unnatural obsession with him even further. But she seemed... fine, all things considered.

Until now.

"You have a _lot_ of nerve," Cheryl spat acidly, clenching the seat of her chair so hard that splinters dug into her skin, unnoticed. Her knuckles were white. "The _only_ ones who were sick were the ones who thought they could taunt me, take you from me, torture me by seducing you right in front of my eyes-"

"YOU DISFIGURED OUR MOTHER!" Ash screamed, launching himself up from his chair, throwing his arms up in disgust. "YOU TRAUMATIZED A CHILD! YOU-" He clenched his shaking fists so hard the nails bit into his palms, taking a deep breath as Cheryl's wide, tear-filled eyes stared up at him. Phillip's face floated into his mind, and he found even more tears threatening to spill over. "I can't do this anymore, Cheryl," he choked out, his voice breaking. "I can't. I thought you'd get better. I thought I could help, but - you never even apologized to Mom for what you did, you're trying to _justify_ everything-"

"You know what _really_ made me angry?" Cheryl interrupted yet again, springing to her feet as well and planting a hand on Ash's chest. He recoiled in revulsion, but she fisted her shirt in his fingers and pulled him closer, her breath washing over his face. "When that nasty faggot kissed you. Right in front of me." Her lips brushed against the shell of his ear, and she twisted his shirt, choking him a bit as she went on: "When he _knew_ he didn't have a right to take you from me like that, to rape you, to try and corrupt you. When he knew how mad it would make me. It was bad enough all those other whores in town were after you, but he wanted you to think it was a boy you needed, not a woman - not _me._ He didn't even want you to _think_ about looking my way and realizing you were meant to be with me. And then _I_ realized... I had to protect you from _everyone._ They _all_ wanted to taint you."

Anger surged through Ash's veins at this, and he remembered Phillip sobbing over the broken bodies of his chickens. Snarling, he pushed Cheryl back and slapped her hard across the face. Rather than throwing her off-balance or startling her, however, he let out a cry as she lunged at him, tackling to the floor. His head struck the ground hard, lights bursting violently across his field of vision and mind dazed for a few brief moments.

Her hand between his legs, lips on his, and tongue probing around his open mouth brought him back to reality, and he bit down hard on the tip, drawing a muffled scream as he sat up and shoved her off. "STOP IT! Stop it, just _STOP IT!_ I - I - just _stop it,"_ he repeated weakly, curling up into a ball and starting to sob. " _Stop it,_ Cheryl, just... _please,_ leave us _alone!"_

Panting raggedly, Cheryl sat up and let the blood from her injured tongue well up and trickle down over her lips as she sneered at her brother. "'Leave me alone, Cheryl, leave me alone!'" she mocked in a high-pitched voice, giggling mirthlessly. The collar of her shirt had been torn open in the attack, and the ripped fabric exposed the left side of her chest, where an ugly, gaping wound had started bleeding profusely. "What if I don't, Ash? What if I keep you coming back to me forever and ever? What if I make you stay here with me forever? After all, this is your own fault, you know! If you'd just been a better brother to me-"

Ash whimpered and shook his head, the sharp report of his father's pistol cracking across his memory over and over. Cheryl, slumping to the ground, the knife falling from her hand as her mother screamed at them. "I had to. I had to," he repeated more insistently, his voice thick and cracking. Remembering the alarm that had coursed through his body when he found their front door hanging open that winter's night, hearing their mother's panicked voice asking what Cheryl was doing out of the hospital, begging her own daughter to put down the knife and listen. Remembering the horrifying things she'd claimed to have done, noticing that she already seemed to have a few bloodstains on her, and a few tears on her clothes, telling their mother that it was her turn, that it was for her own good. Remembering how he'd grabbed the pistol from the closet and-

He squeezed his eyes shut, as if the vivid memories would black out behind his eyelids. As if he could shut out the way she'd whirled around, eyes wide and pupils tiny little pinpricks, lunging for him almost as if driven by primal instinct. The way he'd squeezed the trigger three times, sending her sprawling to the floor with a sickening noise, the metallic clatter of the knife striking the floor.

He couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't picture anymore. It was enough.

"And now, you're going to live with it for the rest of your life," Cheryl cooed, stroking his hair tenderly, giggling again as Ash retched. "You want to die with me, don't you, Ash? You hate yourself for what you did to me. But I'll love you enough for the both of us... you'll keep coming back to visit me over and over and over and over... until you realize you can't live without me. And then-" She pushed him to the ground roughly, the breath knocked out of his lungs with a gasp as he landed painfully on his back, "-I'll end-" The cold gleam of steel materialized in her hand as she straddled him, raising her right hand high, "-your suffering and love you juuuuuuust right!"

In a flash, the knife thrust down, Ash's screams quickly dying into a pitiful, bubbling squeak as the first stab splashed blood across Cheryl's wide grin, before another plunge into his heart painted her face more, and more, and-

* * *

Thrashing about wildly in bed and finding his limbs tangled and trapped by the sheets, Ash's throat was raw by the time he realized he was conscious, and his face wet with tears. Even as he began to realize just what was happening to him, he continued to scream and sob and writhe about, heedless of the light clicking on as his mother rushed into his room and scooped him up into a tight, protective hug.

"Make her stop, Mom, please just make her leave us alone, I don't want to die," he babbled tearfully into Jessica's breast, shivering and choking out another sob as he felt her pat his back soothingly and shush him. Her own tears rolled down her heavily-scarred face, dripping into his lank, greasy hair.

"It's okay, baby," Jessica whispered tightly, swallowing around the knot in her throat as she felt her son clutch desperately at her shoulders. His fingertips dug in, and he pounded a fist against her chest - but she was used to it by now. She wouldn't lose both of her children. Not like this. "She's not going to get you, it's all behind us. It's okay, baby, I'm here for you..."

"Make her stop, just make her _stop_ ," Ash continued, chest heaving as he was rocked back and forth, his mother's shaky lullaby winding uselessly through his ears. Cheryl's voice still echoed, her twisted giggle and cold threats, her shaky gasps as she bled out on their kitchen floor, asking Ash why he'd hurt her, why he didn't love her. "I don't want to die, just make her _stop..._ I had to, I _had_ to... please, just make her stop, Mom, make her stop..."


End file.
